Memories
by Deep Wonderment
Summary: A oneshot based on the prompt of joy. Ginny remembers Fred and George. Character Deaths


**Memories**  
**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling owns the Potterverse. I'm just a bored college student.  
**Rating:** This is G but there are major character deaths (post war fic)

**Summary:** Ginny remembers Fred and George  
**Words:** 2,537  
**Note:** Another one-shot written for a challenge that was never judged. The prompt was joy.

Ginny Weasley sat on her bed in number twelve Grimmauld Place. This was home now. The Burrow was destroyed in the Death Eater attack that sent her mum to St. Mungos for who knows how long. Ginny often wondered if her mum was going to end up like Neville's parents. Mr. Weasley was elected Minister of Magic when Rufus Scrimgeour was killed at the end of her sixth year. Ginny should be in her seventh year but the war had escalated. Hogwarts was closed, With Dumbledore gone it was not as safe as it should be. Charlie was out doing some Order business in Romania and no one knew when and if he'd be back. Bill and Fleur got married and were staying in France. Fleur's parents had died in the battle at the Burrow. Gabrielle wanted to stay in France and Fleur had insisted on it. The house there was not well enough protected for someone who had been possessed by Voldemort so Ginny was not allowed to go. Percy had also died in the battle. He had reconciled with his family in time. It was sort of ironic the one sibling who didn't believe that Voldemort was back was the one to die saving his parents by Voldemort's right hand minion. So Ginny had been sent to live with the twins. She was happy about this. They were always her favorite siblings. They had such a joyous attitude about everything. All they wanted was for people to be happy. That's why they had opened Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. They knew that there had to be some sort of happiness in the world even with the War.

Then the attack had happened. Ginny was at the Ministry having her weekly lunch with her father. Arthur Weasley had set up a flat for himself at the ministry but he made sure he had time despite everything to check in with his only and youngest girl once a week. In the middle of the lunch the alarm sounded and he left Ginny at the Ministry. Diagon Alley was under attack. Once the attack was over he wordlessly took Ginny to number twelve Grimmauld Place. He left again with out saying anything. She knew this was the set upon safe place if anything happened and expected after the clean up Fred, George or someone to come and tell her what was going on. Instead Percy's old owl Hermes showed up with some post.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I'm sure you are wondering exactly what has happened today and why you are unable to return to Fred and George's apartment. There was an attack on Diagon Alley this afternoon. Hermione just apparated_ _here on orders from Dad to inform me and ask me to write this letter to let you know what transpired. The twins' shop as well as Ollivander's shop was targeted and they both were destroyed. I'm sorry to not be able to tell you this in person but Fred and George didn't make it. As for Oillivander he has been missing since the end of your 5th year but you knew that already. Ron, Harry and Hermione should be showing up this afternoon and they will try and explain more but be warned Dad will want them to protect you. Fleur, Gabrielle and I send our best wishes and as soon as I can I will be there. I'm trying to locate Charlie. Keep Hermes with you. Errol also perished in the battle. We have Hedwig and Ron Harry and Hermione have Pig. Love you lots and try to find something to be joyful about. That's what the twins would want._

_-Bill  
_

Ginny scowled. Fleur had turned Bill into a softie. And on top of that there was nothing to be happy about. Her whole world was crashing down. She used to think that nothing could be as bad as her second year when she had "befriended" Tom Riddle. But now that Voldemort had torn her family apart it seemed like this was the worst it could get. She sat there and thought about how because of everything Tom had done to her she needed to be validated by guys. This lead to her thinking about the relationship she had with Harry and how he had pushed her away. Sulking, she came to the conclusion that she had nothing joyful left in her life. Flopping back on her bed Ginny sighed. Then the realized what Bill had meant. Moping was going to do nothing to honor the twins' memory.

The twins, although mischievous did what they did in order to make people happy. Their actions always didn't make everyone happy, but they made an effort at least.. Ginny thought of the countless times their mum had wanted to kill them. Then there was the spider incident. Sure Ginny couldn't remember it but it was family legend. It was mentioned whenever the twins were feeling they needed to rub something in Ron's face or whenever Ron felt the need to complain about how Fred and George treated him. Then she thought about the joke shop and the day they left to finally start it. That had pissed off Umbridge, of course but among the students it was legend. Peeves was more than happy to oblige the request to make her life a living hell. Ginny couldn't think of a time where the actions of Fred and George did not make at least one person smile. That's the goal they had held throughout life.

Ginny thought about Snape and Draco downstairs. When she got there they were both snippy so she decided to go up to her room. She gathered from hearing Aurors talk that it was because Snape was no longer useful to the order. Ginny thought Draco must be upset because he failed at the thing he had been groomed to do or he felt alone because he did what was right. She couldn't be sure of which. She knew that even though Fred and George hated their former Potions Master and didn't like Malfoy's attitude they would, if they were stuck in number twelve Grimmauld Place with no way of getting out, they would try to release the tension somehow with humor. Ginny couldn't think of exactly how they would. She wished she could put herself in twins mind frame but found it impossible.

Ginny curled up on her side. She caught sight of her trunk. Arthur had sent Tonks to get some things for Ginny. She walked over to it and opened it up. On the top was the stuffed puffskein. Fred and George gave her when she was 5. She had no clue how it survived whatever happened to the shop but it seemed to have made it out okay. She smiled as she looked at it. Fred and George had been her favorite brothers when she was younger. She remembered the day she got this stuffed animal. Ron was yelling at her because she spilled some ink while she was drawing as the older kids had their lessons with mum. The ink had covered up all of his letters he was trying to write. Mum fixed it right away with a well placed charm but Ron thought she should be taking a nap instead of bothering the older children as they were schooled. Ginny had decided that she was a big girl and wanted to learn too. It was her first day learning. But after Ron's remark she felt like she was just a stupid little girl. Ginny was sitting between Ron and George.

"No use crying over spilled ink Gin." George had said pulling her into a hug and pulling her over his lap to site between him and Fred.

Ginny giggled as Fred stuck his tongue out at Ron. Then he handed her a spare quill. "Here we can share ink. What are you drawing?"

"A puffskein. It's my favorite animal." Ginny stated her voice cracking under her tears.

"Big girls don't cry now Ginny." Fred said with a big smile.

"That's the best puffskein I've ever seen anyone draw in this house!" George grinned at her glad he had taken her mind off Ron and lessons were back underway.

Later that night when she was about to go to bed Fred and George gave her a stuff puffskein. She had had it ever since. She also remembered that unknown to anyone but the three of the Arnold her pygmy puff was free or charge. George slipped the money back into Mrs. Weasleys money sack. They had been planning to give her one for Christmas anyways.

Sitting up Ginny started crying. It really wasn't fair what had happened two of the nicest most caring people she had ever known where dead because of stupid old Voldemort. From downstairs she could hear a lot of yelling and screaming. She surmised that Harry Ron and Hermione had stopped in finally. She heard people thundering up the stairs. At that moment she fully appreciated the fact that Percy had managed to get Mrs. Blacks portrait unstuck. She didn't even want to think of the uproar all this would have caused. She saw Hermione poke her head into her room and said she would explain to her more once Ron and Harry had calmed down. There was no question about it. They were livid she had to stay with Snape and Draco. Lying back on her bed Ginny let her thoughts travel back to things the twins have done.

It was the summer and she was seven. Bill was teaching Ron how to fly. Weasley family tradition always said they could learn how to fly 3 years before attending Hogwarts. Ginny still had a year to go. While Bill was helping Ron the twins were beating bludgers back and forth to each other and Charlie was chasing the snitch. Ginny knew all about Quidditch and she wanted to play too. It just wasn't fair.

Noticing how up set she was the twins landed and with much struggle put the bludgers away. After this they got the quaffle out.

"Hey Ginny! Catch!" Fred tossed it to her.

"Just because you can't fly doesn't mean you can't get used to the quaffle right?" George said grinning at her.

The three of them spent a lot of time that summer playing with the quaffle. When she finally could fly she was able to become a talented chaser.

Then her thoughts drifted to her first year. She the last Weasley of her generation had been sorted into Gryffindor. She had been so excited about going. But of course Ron and Harry had stolen the spotlight by flying that stupid car to school. Percy was livid. Ron was scared. Never mind the fact that her passage to Hogwarts was not as important as everyone else's because Harry was there and the whole escape from the Dursley's house. Yeah Fred and George had helped with that but Ron had probably asked them for some help. Besides on the train they had gotten her a Sugar Quill and a Chocolate Frog in congratulations for finally getting to Hogwarts. After the sorting ceremony they had disappeared so she followed Mr. Head Boy Percy to the common room. He had congratulated her then went to go write mum about Ron's escapades. A few minutes later Fred and George showed up with some nicked butter beer and some cakes from the kitchen. They threw her a whole party for getting into Gryffindor and even shared it with the rest of the first years. She had never heard of a party celebrating the first years at Hogwarts. That night Percy had said the twins asked for permission for one in order to cheer her up. This made Ginny really happy. But as the year wore on and things got worse with Tom and the twins' school work was more difficult they couldn't always be there. They were always bringing her things from Honeydukes and Zonkos when they went to Hogsmeade though. And once she realized what she had done she told them first. They were the ones sitting holding her hands as she went over it again and again with her parents and Dumbledore. They had always made time for her. It just wasn't fair they had die like this.

Her second year she saw the twins keeping a closer watch on her. She didn't mind much. She wouldn't tell anyone this but it felt good having someone make sure she was okay. And when Ron turned into an evil prat about Hermione's cat, Crookshanks Ginny knew that if Fred and George were in the room she could look at them and see those two making silly faces to make her smile. Sometimes she thought it may have been for Harry's sake but she knew it was mostly for her benefit.

Her third year they lead her around Hogsmeade and showed her everything. She also has a sneaking suspicion that it was them who convinced Neville to ask her to the ball. And when it seemed like the world had stopped while they were waiting for Harry and Cedric Diggory to come out of that maze they were the ones who sat on either side of her. They were the ones who threw their arms around her when Cedric died. They were the ones making jokes on the way home trying to lighten the mood.

Her fourth year at Hogwarts things were changing. They were focused on the joke shop. But even throughout that they didn't forget her. Once something was tested and they thought it was safe enough they would give one to Ginny. She'd test it out and tell them how practical it was for female students and report back. For all of her hard work each term after the shop was opened they'd send her a bunch of items. Some of it was new things they needed tested but a lot of it was stuff she liked. She couldn't count how many Patented Daydream Charms they had given her so she could survive potions.

Yes Fred and George had done a lot for her. Ginny was at a loss at what she could do to help them now that they were dead. She wasn't as funny as they were. The twins were two of a kind. But then she realized that everything they had done for her was a way of being nice to her. Then it occurred to her. Being joyous was an attitude. All she had to do was go out of her way and be nice to people.

Ginny walked out of the room. She was first going to go explain her reasoning to the trio. Then she was going to go find Professor Snape and Draco and tell them she was sorry for all the bad she had done these past seven years and offer to be their friends.

Going into each day of an attitude of being nice and helpful was how she could honor the lives of her deceased twin brothers. It was what they had done and now it was up to her to carry on that joyous tradition.


End file.
